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What opened Watson's eyes about relationships built on Lions tours
Anthony Watson has explained how a post-tour 2017 trip to Las Vegas in the company of some newfound friends has enabled him to get out of his comfort zone and enjoy the 2021 Lions tour in South Africa as best he can. The 27-year-old back three England player started all three Test matches four years ago against the All Blacks and the lessons learned from that adventure in New Zealand have helped him to integrate much better on this occasion.
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“I have socialised a bit more with people I otherwise wouldn’t have,” he explained. “Particularly because of what happened after the trip the last time in terms of going to Vegas with Tadhg (Furlong) and a few other guys I would never have imagined going on a trip with before.
“That opened my eyes to the relationships you can build on tours with people that you didn’t think you would and that has allowed me to grow closer to the group and be more in amongst everyone as opposed to the same usual people I would be otherwise with.
“My understanding of rugby has improved,” added Watson when asked to contrast how he was as a 2017 Lions player to the version that is now seeking a place in the starting side to face the Springboks this Saturday in Cape Town. “Without going into too much detail, my perception and appreciation of the sport have definitely increased.
“I love what I do, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I have enjoyed this trip a lot. I have enjoyed being around the boys on this trip a lot more than the past one because I am older. In terms of what has changed, apart from feeling like I understand the game a bit better, I feel like all round I have improved so I have just got to keep on that same trajectory and keep going.”
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Springboks roll out their RWC stars to face the Lions in Cape Town this Saturday
#LionsRugby #CastleLionsSeries #LionsSA2021https://t.co/V1dBOCptOP— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 20, 2021
Watson has started twice in the six matches so far, coming off the bench on another two occasions and he feels he is ready to feature in the Test series against the Springboks if he can manage to get himself into a selection conversation where the choices at Warren Gatland’s disposal are immense. “I feel like I’m ready. I have played a lot of rugby generally this year. If I played more I would have been happy but the positive for me is my body feels good. I was able to have that injection in my toe that I needed after the Japan game and so I feel great for it, I’m in a good place.
“That [intense competition] was always going to be the case. With Liam (Williams) and (Stuart) Hogg at the back, they are both unbelievable players, up there with the best in the world in their position. And the same with the wing when you have got Duhan (van der Merwe), Josh (Adams) and Louis (Rees-Zammit), all of them have got different skill sets but all of them are at the top of their game.
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“Whichever way it goes the guys who aren’t playing will be supporting the guys who are playing and prepare them as best as they can but in terms of the group itself, the back three is a very, very tight group. We get along very well and we are trying to help each other. From that perspective it’s great.”
A veteran of the World Cup final loss to the Springboks with England and last week’s loss to South Africa A with the Lions, Watson has a good handle on the threat next Saturday’s opposition will pose. “The kicking game, the importance of the kicking and aerial game, it was huge in that World Cup final and we came off second best to them.
“They definitely dominated us in that area, got great momentum and field position from that area and that gave them the leg up that they needed. Similar to the South Africa A game as well as the World Cup final, the start was huge. We didn’t put ourselves in good positions in either of those two games and found ourselves trying to claw our way back into the game which is much more difficult against a team like South Africa. Those are the two points I see.”
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"If Cowan-Dickie is left out of the 23 after that Stormers performance, it puts enormous pressure on George and Owens to deliver."
Ben Kay ??? on Alun Wyn Jones, the midfield conundrum and scrum concerns #LionsRugby #CastleLionsSeries https://t.co/akAYxYaVEd
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 20, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments